Method of and means for evaporation below ebullition point



May 13 1924. H. E. LA BOUR METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR EVAPORATION BELOW EBULLITION POINT Filed Aug. 1, 1919 Patented Wiley id, 19241.

. tint war a La noun, or cnrc'neo, ILLINGIS, .assren a near, or onion, rumors, a cooanrron METHOD or AND arias nos nvaro'rrora EBULLITIQN Application filed August 1, ieia. serial in. 814,684.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY Elm Bows, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented a certain, new aind useful Improvement in Methods of and Means 'for Evakporation Below Ebullition Point, of whicthe following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawin, forming a part of this specification.

invention relates to an improved method of and means for causingevaporation below the ordinary ebullition point.

More particularly the invention provides a novel method of and means for de-alcoholizing beer at such a relatively low. temperature that the flavoring of the beer is not destroyed. The invention is not, however, to be limited to this particular purpose, as it may be employed to the same advantage in extracting water or other liquids from various carrying liquids such as, instance, water from fruit juice, milk, or sulphite liquors used in pulp mills, and all without undesirable results.

Many methods of separating one liquid from another, or de-hydrating substances held in solution are well known and I do not claim that my invention has such a wide scope. However, the methods now in common use have certain inherent deficiencies which are particularly noticeable when they are aiplied to the de-alcoholizing of beer, and wish topoint out some of the more patent thereof for the purpose of making clear the importance and scope of my present invention.

The principal feature of my invention, in which I am especially interested, is in its application to the de-alcoholizing of beer. i

In reducing the alcoholic contents of beer many methods have been alttemptedand have been used to some extent, but heretotore they have been accompanied by such a loss of flavor as to prove fatal to the product. The flavoring substance in beer consists mainly of such highly volatile material that under the common heat treatment for the extraction of the alcohol this flavoring substance is either drawn oil or destroyed.

Another difficulty has been that undesired chemical changes occur which destroy the fiavo for r color or other qualities of the beer. It has been found that the slowness of prior processes permit chemical changes or changes in physical structure. or condit1ons, (such as undesirable coagulation or the like), which are deterimental. The heat ng incidental to prior processes has also proved destructive in other ways.

This present invention is a further develo ment of and an improvement u on the nvention disclosed invmy co-pen ing application, Serial Number 310,373, tiled Ju y 12, 1919, and lies particularly in the use of a closed circulatory circuit of an nert gas, bringing the gas and liquid into intimate contact at one point in the circuit, at one side of the mixin point cooling the gas to remove the alcoho, at the other side of said point heating the gas to increase its absor tive qualities and maintainin an apprecia ly lower pressure on the coo ing side than on the heating side whereby the capacity of any given apparatus is largely increased, the eficiency is increased, the percentage of alcohol removed in increased, and the delicate flavoring substances are not in any manner destroyed or deteriorated.

I not only preserve the flavoring substances while eliminating the alcohol, but

ll also overcome the undesirable effects heretofore encountered, namely the destructive effect of high tern erature, the occurrence of undesirable c emical and physical changes; the loss of important constituents;

uncontrollable variations of density orinteraction; efiects treacable to slowness of action; effects traceable to the introduction of foreign substances, such as dust, bacteria, etc.; the high cost and destructive action of vacuum pans; and the inability to employ an inert body of gas.

The advantages of my improvement are apparent. They include a very greatly increased rapidity of operation and capacity, complete control of operation at all times. cleanliness, efiiciency, and numerous other factors which jointly and severally make possible results and effects not heretofore obtainable.

In the accompanying drawing 1 have illustrated diagrammatically the apparatus for carrying "out my improved method. The apparatus is arranged in a closed cycle and comprises the mixing up aratus 1, wherein the cor is dc-alcoholize the cooling and condensing apparatus 2 wherein the alcohol constituents or vapor particles are removed from the gas; the heater 3, wherein the gas is reheated prior to its recirculation thru the mixing apparatus 1; and the ressure boosting apparatus or fan 4, whici is arranged at some the two sides of the de-alcolmlizin or mixing apparatus, preferably as in icated in full lines in Figure 1 between the condenser and the rcheater, but obviously may be arranged as indicated in dotted ines between the mixer and the condenser.

The mixing apparatus 1 is constructed generally inaccordance with the disclosure in my prior application, Serial Number 227.206, which matured into Patent No. 1,318,774, certain improvements and refinements being added to the construction disclosed therein, as I shall presently describe. The beer is pumped or fed upon a revolving plate or spreading disk 5 as by means of the pipe 6, the beer being discharged upon the center of the plate 5. The disk 5 is mounted u a spindle 7 which is supported in ball )earings 8-8 which in turn ill't. her 9. The hub member 9 is provided with a radial flange which is bolted upon the central annulus 10, which forms part of the conical casing 12. At the lower end the spindle 7 is provided with a pulley 13 or any other preferred driving means.

A series of impeller blades 14 are secured to the under side of the spreading disk 5. These impeller blades are constructed of sheet metal bent at right angles to provide a flange, for riveting to the disk 5, and the downwardly pro ecting impelling surface. The upper surface of the spreading disk is faced with a. thinplate 15, which is preferably composed of a matcrial of non-corrosive character and which will have no chemical interaction with the liquid being pumped thereon. The series of impellers 14 function as a centrifu al pump for projecting the heated gas. he gas is drawn into the casing 12 at two diametrically opposite points thru branch conduits 1(i'16 which St)llllli0 from the main conduit 17 extending rom the heater 3. As the gas passes u into the casing 12 it is deflectedfinwardly by the frustro-conical wall thereof toward the spindle 6 and is then caught by the im cller blades 14 and is whirled out eentri ugally between the disk 4 and the inwardly projecting flange on the casing 12.

The casing 12 her as its outlet.

ressure chamby means of constitutes a is contracte the inwardly pro ecting flange at its upper end and the flow of as thru the outct being further reduced or hindered by the late 5 and the impeller, so that we have at t is point a division in the circuit as of the mixing point; in the circuit between supported in a cylindrical hub mem-' beer or other liquid.

even if smal insane to pressure, that is between the pressure chamber and the upper part of the'casin device to which I apply the vacuum effect of the condensation in the condenser and from the draught of the lower or fan 4.

he casing 12 is provided with a radial flange 18 which is bolted to'the lower )ortion 19 of the main mixing chamber. he casing portion 20 consists of a ribbed casting, which is preferably provided with an annular bolting flange 21, to which is bolted the up er conical portion 22 of the 1nixing cham er. The conical portion 22 is preferably constructed of sheet metal havmg a downwardly projecting flange 22' enin the casing portion 20, and having rivete directly above said flange a se arate boltin flange 23. At its upper en the conica portion 22 is formed with a cylindrical portion 24 thru which isextended the pipe 6, and which communicates with the conduit 25 extending to the condenser 2. The lower casing portion 19 is provided with a discharge pipe 26 for conducting the beer from the mixing apparatus 1.

he 0 eration of the apparatus thus far described is as follows:

' e ear is pumped or otherwise disgaging char ed thru the 1 e 6 u on the center of g F P P the revolving dis 5, which is rotated at high speed. Impinging on the center of the dis 5 the liquid spreads out uniformly over the disk, taking on a constantly increasing velocityl There is, however, a certain amount of slippage between the liquid and the plate. This causes the liquid film to partakc not only of an outward velocity, but also of a rolling and rotary motion which puts the liquid into violent agitation so that as it spreads outwardly it breaks up into dro s. 1 These drops then have an outward an circular motion and also a planetary or rotary motion on their own individual axes. This I consider has a double effect; first, of causing continuous wiping action of the surface of the curtain of dro lets upon the surrounding gas, and secon the rotativeauotion of the particles develops a centrifugal effect, which tends, l, to overcome to some extent the surface tension of the liquid and permits the free liberation of the alcoholic content. It will be seen from this that a fluid curtain of considerable densit can be formed, which will still permit. tie )assa e of gas between the rolling drops an at tfie same time force intimate contact between the liquid and the as. This intimate mixing characteristic 0 the a )paratus 1 is fully illustrated and described in my said allowed application.

he beer is whirled outwardly from the disk 5 in the form of a thin fiatfilm which and the individual Ill-3 the mixin strikes against the copical casing 22, thus completing the liquid curtain entirely across chamber. Due to the corneal shape of t 1e casing portion 22, the liquid is deflected downwardly into the annular space in the casing portion 19. This space constitutes a quiescent zone or pocket wherein the liquid is removed from the action of the ascending gas.

1 preferably make use of a gas which s inert, that is, which does not, interact chemically with the beer. This inert gas may carbon dioxide or any other gas havin the property of'volatilizing and carrying o the alcoholic constituents. On the other hand I may employ a gas having an initial chemi':

cal interaction with the beer, for the reason that such gas would soon become saturated, in the closed cycle, and would thereafter become neutral and have no further chemi-.-

cal action upon the beer. The gas issues from between the impeller blades 14 at a small angle to the line of dischar e of the liquid from the disk 5. The curtain of liquid and the curtain of as-are thus brought into intimate contact or a relatively long period of their travels. The ases are heated in the heater 3 prior to a mission to the mixing apparatus and furthermore the gases expand to a certain de ree as they are impe led outward from t e blades ll. As a consequence, the gases are in a heated, expanded condition when they come into intimate contact with the expandin film t beer and thus the two fluids are in ideal condition for efiecting rapid vaporization. The expanded gases are necessarily at a relatively low ressure. From the fact that the gases circu ate in a closed cycle, it will be apparent that the mean pressure of the gases can be varied to secure practically any de-. sired expansion pressure in the mixing chamber. The vaporization of the alcohol is thorough, due to the relatively higher temperature of one fluid, to the relatively low pressure of both fluids, to the relatively low temperature of the beer, and tothe fine atomization and intimate contact between both fluids. The gases or vapor, after passing thru the liquid film have a rotary motion in the same direction as that of the disk 5 and as a result they are thoroughly scrubbed against the conical wall above the liquid curtain, preventing entrainment of drops of liquid; This whirling motion of the gases continues in the discharge pipe and further subjects the gases to scrubbing and to precipitation of the entrained drops of liquid.

The gases or alcoholic vapors pass'into the cooler and condenser 2, substantially free of all free liquid or drops thereof, where the alcohol vapor is condensed and removed from the circulating gas. The illustration of the condensing apparatus 2 is purely conventional, as it will be apparent that any preferred condenser may be em-. ployed. The cooling medium is circulated thru a plurality of cooling coils 27,'wh1ch aresupplied from a header 28 communicating with any controllable source of cooling fluid. Regulation of the degree of cold in the condensing apparatus 2, may be desirable for condensing the alc ol vapor to the exclusion of other vapors o ensible at lower temperatures, or for cond nsing certain of these vapors if desired. The tembe perature of the condensing. chamber 2 has a relation to the desired selective reinoval of the vapor constituents trorfi the gas mixture. A discharge pipe 29 is provided for drawing oft the condensed alcohol.

From the condensing apparatus 2 the gases pass into a conduit 31 in a cold dry condition, and through which they flow to the heating apparatus 3throu h the fan 4;.

The heating apparatus may a so be of any conventional construction; in the" form shown the header 32 controllably supplying a heating medium to the heating co1ls 33.

In the heatingfiapparatus 3, thetemperature of the gas is raised to the point where itwill effect the vaporization of the required percentage of alcohol with the least heatmg of the beer possible. The temperature to which the gas will be raised is controlled by several variable factors, namely: first,

the'temperaturc of the entering beer; secand, the temperature of the outgoing gas, which should be of suilicient degree to retain the alcohol in va or suspension; third, the quantity'of gas "circulated; fourth, the

amount of alcohol or va or removed by the gas; and fifth, the drop 1n pressure between the pressure chamber and the mixing chamber due tothe forced circulation of the gas through the cycle and to the condensation of the discharged gases on one side and their reheating upon the other side. It is desirable in the operation ot the process, to limit the variation of the temperature of the beer to"as small a range as possible. This is preferably accomplished by so adjusting the temperature of the heated gas entering the mixing apparatus that the temperature of'the entering beer, the temperature of the discharging beer, and the tem-' perature of the outgoing gases or alcoholic vapor are substantially the same. This gives a maximum evaporative efiect without the addition to or loss of temperature from the beer. The incoming gas is preferably heated'in the heater 3 to a, point which will sterilize the gases; r

The effect of the condenser upon the gases is very marked. Both the elimination of the in pressure extends back to the vaporization-1 zone and materially assists 1n theevaporation of the alcohol. On the other hand the heater by. expanding the gases increases the pressure and this extends to the gas chamber so that the hot gas when thrown into the mixing chamber will be in condition to exand and absorb the alcoholic content of the ee r, becoming cooled thoroughly and dro ping in pressure. I have foun 1 these variations in pressure in the circuit are of value, they are apt to be minimized by the equalization of the pressure through the circult, the eflect ot' the reduction of pressure roduced in the condenser extending to the lieater and vice versa.

The introduction of the fan prevents this equalization as the fan controls the flow in the circuit, drawing the gas through the condenser from the vaporization zone and pushing it through the heater to the mixing zone, thereby greatly ai gmenting the differences in pressure in various parts of the circuit and actually maintaining the pressure at the vaporization point very much lower than in the pressure chamber, which assists in the tree and rapid liberation of the alcohol from the liquid and greatly increases the capacity of the device. The arrangement of the fan 4 between the condenser and heater is very advantageous as the volume of gas to be handled is at a minimum at this )oint. On the other hand there are certain at vantages to be secured in placing the. fan as shown in dotted lines between the. mixing device and the condenser, namely that the vacuum effect of the fan is transmitted more directly to the vaporization zone and a lower vacuum can be attained and the further advantage of maintaining the condenser under a pressure instead of under a slight vacuum. thereby hastening the removal of the alcohol from the "as. While it is true that the closed cycle without the fan or pressure device 4 will operate practically and de-alcoholize beer. I have found that the addition of the f:i|rg1'eatl v increases the capacity of the apparatus for effecting the de-alcoholizing of beer and makes it possible to very easily reduce the alcoholic contents below one-half of one percent, or practically eliminate it entirely. I urthermore, the rapid and forced circulation of the gases around the circuit by reason of the fan n'iaintains the condenser under a substantial vacuun'i and produces a desired pressure in the pressure chamber, in accordance with the adjustment of the several factors, namely the capacity of the fan and its speed. the temperature of the reheated gases and the proportionate area of the outlet from the pressure chamber. This difference in pressure effects the very rapid o eration of the system or method in the de-a coholizing of beer. Under some conditions the condenser itself can be eliminated, such as when the pressure device 4 is arranged to produce that whi e a pressure in the circuit sufficient to cause the precipitation of the alcohol. It should be understood that under such conditions the outlet from the pressure chamber is much more restricted 11 order to maintain the vaporization zone at a relatively low pressure.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the process as a whole 0 erates at a low temperature and that the alcohol constituents can be vaporized or removed with great rapidit and with a minimum heating of the beer. urthermore the closed system protects against contamination'from the atmospheric airand permits a wide variation in the gas pressure and retains within itself such constituents as may be contained in the beer-and the removal of which might'efl'ect the flavor or quality of the liquid product.

I havefound that the tem erature of the gas may be raised quite high )y the reheater without effecting any increase in temperature in the beer due to the rapid evaporation and the instantaneous cooling effect caused innnediately upon contact of the two fluids. In fact, it is possible to lower the temperature of mitted at a relatively high temperature.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown nor to the exact manner of procedure as described. a

claim:

1. The method of treating a fluid material 'for removing therefrom a volatile constituent, which com' rises moving'a definite, constant charge 0 gas in a completely closed circuit of fixed volume, at one point in the circuit projecting the fluid to be treated in the form of a substantially complete fluid curtain, deflecting the fluid downwardly awa from said curtain, passing the gas upward y throu 11 said fluid curtain and away from said defl ected body of fluid, the gas pickingpp the volatile constituent in the form of a vapor, at another point in the circuit cooliu the gas to condense out the volatile constituent. at. another point in the circuit reheating the gas for repeated passage a through said fluid curtain, between sait cooling point and said reheating point imparting an impelling force to the gas so as to maintain a relatively low,

ressure at the cooling point and a relativeit high pressure at the reheating point, said completely closed circuit maintaining said charge of gas in an unvarying'body against the introduction of atmosphere or extrane- 01s gases and out of contact with liquid washes, whereby the volatile flavoring constituents of sai fluid material are retained in said charge of gas.

2. The method of treating .a. liquid material for removing therefrom a volatile constituent, which comprises moving a body of gas in a closed circult, heating the gas at the liquid even though the gas is ad-' ltltl llt) one. point in the circuit, at another point in the circuit projecting the liquid material in a sheetor curtain of drops substantially horizontally, simultaneously projecting the heated gas in a sheet or curtain below the sheet or curtain of liquid substantially horizontally but slightly upwardly, deflecting the liquid downwardly while the gas is passed upwardly through the sheet or curtain of drops, the gas picking up the volatile constituent in the form of a vapor, a-t another polnt in the circuit cooling the gas to condense out the volatile constituent therefrom, passing the gas. from said cool-' constituents and the heating point Where the' as is re-heated imparting an impelling orce to the gas for maintaining the absorption zone at a relatively low pressure for increased absorption, and for maintaining a relativel high pressure at the heating point of t e circuit, said. body of gas consisting of a constant unvarying charge,

and said circuit being of fixed volume and closed to atmosphere and to the introduction of extraneous gases, whereby the volatile flavoring constituents of said liquid material is retained in said-body of gas.

3. In apparatus of the kind described, a mixing chamber, a spreading discin said mixing chamber, inlet means for directing the fluid upon said spreading disc, a gas pressure chamber below said spreading'disc the gas chamber having a restricted outlet to said mixing chamber, an impeller arranged at said outlet for forcibly impelling the gas into the mixing chamber, a condenser for condensing out the vapor in the gas and for contractlng the volume of gas, a conduit joining the condenser to the mixing chamber, a reheater, a conduit joining the condenser to the reheater, means arranged between the condenser and the reheater for drawing the gas from the mixing chamber and forcing it to the pressure chamber, and a third conduit connecting said heater with said gas chamber.'

- In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of July, A. D. 1919.

HARRY E. LA BOUR. 

